[Androzani84]

Scroll 31: Meteor and Three Wolves

Well, here we are again. Another three part turning point that resolves an arc building up for 10 episodes. Will it live up to the “island battles” three-parter? Let’s find out.

The episode opens with meteors headed towards Earth, as Tau Zant receives a vision of a face and a voice (the real big bad of this series? Let’s see).





Elsewhere, Ikkou and Manmarva are in battle, a battle which ends with the latter’s victory and the former’s apparent death (man, they’re wasting no time this week).





Thankfully, it turns out to be a nightmare Ikkou was having (and don’t let the bad exposure detract from how literally and figuratively dark this episode is).



Back at the Centipede, Manmarva notices the full moon in the sky and looks over a strange cocoon (if I learned anything from Lost Galaxy, it’s never ignore a strange cocoon). He once more mentions how “traitors will be punished”





In the main room, Tau Zant gives Satarakura full permission to begin his plan. The latter complies, calling out his trump cards, the Ninja Wolves Fangarou (Make your own Garo joke, I know next to nothing about the franchise).







Satarakura explains that he saved these three from the forced extinction of their species (making me wonder who carried out this extinction) and created a special whistle that allows him to command them.



Elsewhere, Yosuke is called out to the middle of a quarry in the dead of night by Ikkou for one reason.





As Isshu wakes up to find himself alone, Ikkou defeats Yosuke with the Ikazuchi Style’s best move, the Kabuto Raigekiha. Yosuke brushes off Ikkou’s vague excuse of “there isn’t much time left” and leaves, asking why he isn’t teaching his brother this. A question that answers itself when Isshu shows up.



As the two brothers leave, Shurikenger looks on (probably wondering what disguise he can take on to fix this problem).



The next day, the three Fangarou appear in the city, devouring the shadows of the people.



Oboro and Hamster Headmaster notice this and call in the Hurricanegers, with Yosuke arriving late due to the lack of sleep he got. They soon find that the city is empty, with Shurikenger appearing overhead in Tenkuujin (that’s our mecha action for this episode). He leads the trio to the woods, where they find the people… who have now become feral (apparently, losing your shadow turns you feral. Good to know).





The Fangarou then appear, have a brief fight with the Hurricanegers and Shurikenger, and then return to the city. The Hurricanegers and Shurikenger give chase, eventually joined by the Gouraigers (with Ikkou having talked Isshu into accepting his death), but all of them run foul of the Seven Spears, with Satarakura choosing to face Yosuke, Wendinu choosing to face Kouta, Nanami taking the choice away from Furabijo (apparently, she’s still annoyed about the last episode) and Sargain going to Shurikenger through a mixture of default, Manmarva already being assigned to deal with the Gouraigers and Sargain wanting to test Shurikenger’s mettle. (And it turns out that Wendinu can actually fight without using green screen. Who knew).









Manmarva easily overpowers Isshu and then pursues Ikkou to Ikazuchi Village (I’ve no idea if there’s any connection to Ikazuchi Valley, but it looks just as desolate).



Yosuke sees Isshu leaving and follows him, which leaves the others so outmatched they have to withdraw. After knocking Isshu down. Yosuke learns about the Scorpion Egg implanted in Ikkou’s heart. Yosuke refuses to allow Ikkou to die and follows him. At a news studio, a reporter comments on the mysterious disappearances, having missed the Wolves turning everyone savage. Really missing them, since one of them decided to make the studio its next target.



At Ikazuchi Village, Manmarva has defeated Ikkou and is prepared to watch the end of the show.



But then, Yosuke and Isshu appear, with the former taking up the fight. After he fails to defeat Manmarva with his own moves, Ikkou suggests he use the Kabuto Raigekiha, to which Yosuke kicks up some dust so he can comply.





But even defeating Manmarva soon proves hollow, as Ikkou’s baby hatches from its egg and gives daddy a hug.



Manmarva then backs out of taking custody of the child.



As Yosuke begs Ikkou not to die, because he really wants to see him do the Kabuto Raigekiha, the meteors fall to Earth and Hamster Headmaster receives a call from Master Gozen as the episode ends on a cliffhanger.





Final thoughts: Like the last three parter, I’m reserving full judgement for the end of the story. For now, the episode did have some good, horrific imagery and there’s a nice display that there’s an air of hopelessness, especially since Yosuke was only able to beat Manmarva by borrowing a move from Ikkou.